French patent 2,692,689 discloses a medical-aid procedure using a measuring apparatus where an operational program, designed to control in an automated manner the operation of an apparatus, is loaded on a detachable data medium. Apparatus operation is initiated by readout of this operational program which includes an automatic initializing phase of a sequence of operations carried out on the basis of apparatus adjustment parameters. Such apparatus is useless for pillboxes because if it were used for pillboxes, it would require a physician to (1) master operation of the pillbox or (2) have copies of operational programs to match each patient.
European patent application 554,137 discloses a pocket pillbox apparatus including a medication loader. The apparatus requires expert programming of a pillbox microprocessor to match the pillbox to a specific dosage constraint. This pillbox is restricted to one kind of medication for each loader and requires expert microprocessor programming for each dosage change. Further, the apparatus can not be simply programmed and appears to require special knowledge on the part of the pharmacist.
French patent application 2,585,151 discloses a portable apparatus for memory and data retrieval to be used as a prescription record. A pharmacist at a desk programs into a package the contents of a prescription including the names of the medications, time or frequency of medication ingestion, medication dosages and medication antagonisms. However, the memory programming apparatus, which is specifically dedicated to programming this kind of prescription record, comprises a data-input keyboard fitted so it records prescriptions and has special function keys specifically for (1) the specific times of ingestion, morning, noon and evening, lunch, dinner, etc., and (2) the time intervals between medication ingestion. A memory package, used solely to store the prescription, signals the ingestion times and medication dosages, and interacts with a memory display. Such apparatus precludes guiding the patient and does not eliminate the confusion the patient may have with regard to different medications, and does not allow checking that the prescription has been followed. The programming system requires specific apparatus and consequently programmer apprenticeship, by a pharmacist who assembles the prescription. Consequently, there is a possibility of deviation between the physician's prescription and the pharmacist's programming due, for instance, to programming errors by the pharmacist.